Swimming aid



Aug. 11, 1959 J, MOONEY 2,898,611

SWIMMING AID Fild Feb. 18, 1958 dkmmw United States Patent SWINHVIINGAID John F. Mooney, Sonora, Calif.

Application February 18, 1958, Serial No. 715,986

1 Claim. (Cl. 921) This invention relates to swimming aids; my mainobject being to provide a device, adapted to be attached to the legs ofa swimmer, by means of which the swimmerwhen using the legs in the usualpropulsive mannerwill have a greatly increased forward thrust over whatis ordinarily the case, and the swimmers speed will be correspondinglyincreased.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for the purposewhich does not interfere with substantially normal walking of theswimmer when out of the water.

A further object of the invention is to arrange the speed increasingfeatures of the device so that they do not put any uneven tiring strainson the legs of the swimmer, and thus enable the wearer to better swimrelatively long distances without the leg muscles becoming tired.

The wearer of my improved swimming aid is therefore better adapted toserve as a life saver in case of need,

' besides enabling him to undertake under-water activities,

such as exploration and photography, and in salvaging operations.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a swimming aid whichis designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a practical andreliable swimming aid, and one which will be exceedingly effective forthe purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side view of the device as mounted on the leg of a swimmer;the leg being shown in a retracted position with the flippers or finsclosed or folded.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, but shows the leg extended, and the flippersin the open or unfolded position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged front view, showing a flipper in aclosed or folded position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a flipper in an open position, and asmounted on one of the leg-embracing pieces.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the charactersof reference marked thereon, the device comprises a pair of bodies, onefor each leg L, and indicated generally at 1. Each such body, which ispreferably made of light plastic, comprises separate front and rearsections 111 and 1b, respectively, shaped to conform to the leg andextending substantially from the knee to the foot. The sections aredetachably connected together by any suitable means, preferablyadjustable, such as clips 2 of conventional form. The front body section1a is Patented Aug. 11, 1959 formed with a sandal or slipper 3 whichprevents the body from possibly slipping up or turning on the leg, and

also protects the foot.

Mounted on the body sections 1a and 1]) at the front and back thereof,or in opposed order, are the flippers or fins which are the feature ofthis invention, and which are generally indicated at 4. Such flippers,of which there are preferably four-two on each body sectionand theelements on the body sections cooperating therewith, being of identicalform, a description of one such flipper, and its cooperating bodyelements, will suflice for all.

Each flipper 4 comprises a central rigid stay or rib 5, side ribs 6, anda flexible membrane 7 secured to and extending between the various ribs.The ribs are swivelly connected or pivoted at their their inner end tothe body by suitable means, such as indicated at B. The pivots for theside ribs 6 are arranged so that they diverge from each other somewhatwhen the flipper is opened out or extended, and then divergeconsiderably from the body 1, as shown in Fig. 2, and the membrane 7 istaut, as shown in Fig. 4.

However, when the flipper is folded or retracted against the body 1, asshown in Fig. l, the side ribs 6 converge toward their outer endsomewhat and the membrane is slack, as shown in Fig. 3. This featureenables the flipper when in operation to have the maximum area exposedto the water for propulsive purposes, while being more out of the way,or generally closer to the body 1, laterally thereof, when in foldedposition, so that they do not interfere with walking. The body 1 isformed with a suitably contoured lateral rib-like stop 9, for eachflipper, disposed immediately above the hinges 8, considered when theleg is upright, and positioned so that the ribs 5 and 6 will engage suchstop when the flipper is fully opened or extended to the most desirableangle for the best action.

A smaller lateral rib-like stop 10 is mounted on or formed with the bodyin position for engagement by the ribs when the flipper is folded orretracted, so as to maintain said flipper spaced from the body 1sufficiently to enable the water to rush under or behind the flipperwhen a backward movement of the leg is started.

The various flippers, being distributed on the body 1 so as to be bothin front of and behind the leg of the swimmer, as shown and described,the pressure generated by the action of the flippers is equalized, andthe muscles of the legs do not become tired. while I have shown fourflippers as being used, a greater or lesser number may be mounted on thebody 1 as may be desired.

It should also be mentioned that the stops 9 and 10 are solid orintegral with the body 1, so that they cannot get out of working order,and positive action of the flippers is insured at all times.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a swimming aid as will substantially fulfill theobjects of the invention, as

It will be obvious that claimed as new and useful, and upon whichLetters Patent are desired.

A swimming device comprising a first member having a front leg portionand a foot portion, a second member, said members shaped in conformitywith the shape of the leg and foot of a wearer, means detachablysecuring together said members whereby said front leg portion and saidsecond member are adapted to encase the leg of a wearer and the footportion is adapted to encase the foot of said wearer, and flipperspivotally attached to said front leg portion and to said second memberfor swinging between extended and retracted positions, said front legportion and said second member having stop means thereon for limitingthe pivotal displacement of said flippers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSClassen Sept. 10, 1901 Smith Oct. 18, 1910 Ajello July 14, 1925 HainesAug. 18, 1925 Wener July 27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Sept.16, 1935 France Dec. 23, 1931 France Dec. 19. 1955

